By Dr. Trina Bayard

July 14, 2021

Over a billion Salish Sea mussels, clams and other intertidal sea life were killed by heat this week, estimated University of British Columbia Marine Biologist Chris Harley. Elsewhere around Puget Sound, shellfish farmers and beachgoers reported horrific scenes of shellfish being cooked alive on local beaches, with ground temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit and above making it impossible for these immobile animals to survive.

Meanwhile, at a nearby Caspian Tern colony in South Seattle, juvenile terns leapt to their deaths to avoid the scorching temperatures on their rooftop nesting location. Birds and the aquatic life they depend on are telling us that we must take rapid action to prevent the worst effects of climate change.